When I'm 64

I was once, you know....

The diamonds have been joined, and joined, and this morning I thought it would be interesting to see how many have been made.  They were duly retrieved from the Box of Finished Blocks, laid out, counted and photographed.....and there are 64, although they didn't all get in the pic.

The Cunning Plan is to make lots and lots then join them into - I don't know, threes perhaps? fours? sixes?  Or perhaps just join them into rows, then join the rows together.  Watch this space.

These are some of the pieces from my tumbler quilt - perhaps they are related?

The same, but different.

Apart from cutting a few more diamonds the sewing room hasn't been on my agenda this week, sadly.  Treadle practice is coming along, we have even progressed to sewing with real thread on real fabric, yay!  Between that and ukulele practice for the sewing/ukulele gig next Sunday, some hunting and gathering and an appointment or two, that's another week gone.

A few days ago I was writing out some information to have with me while treadling next weekend.  Going by the last time I did this people will ask questions, so an online search told me that it's a 66K machine made in Kilbowie, Scotland, hence the K in the model number.  The serial number indicates that it was made after 26th May, 1925; it is nigh on impossible to find out the exact birth date of an old Singer machine, but it is possible to find out when the serial number was released.  A batch of 35,000 numbers was released on that date and the number on mine is only a few hundred from the first number, so perhaps it was soon afterward.

This machine was free - the best price! - I already owned my maternal grandmother's Singer treadle when one day 20 or so years ago my brother rang to say his neighbour had "an old machine like Nanna's" that was being thrown out, so if I wanted it to get there quickly.  We duly did, and while the neighbour had taken it apart the screws were in a plastic bag along with several of the fancy feet, the manual, even a key to the drawers, which is a real treasure indeed.  The cabinet case is in better condition than Nanna's thanks to that one being stored on a verandah by my mother before she gave it to me, so it is the one I use for demonstrations.

The museum will have a blacksmith working in his forge and a shearer showing how sheep are/were shorn and some other older skills being demonstrated, so a treadle sewing machine fits right in.  The museum collection includes a Wilcox & Gibbs treadle machine, and a hand-crank.

It will be fun.

This week has brought rain, and cold winds, and warm sunshine.  The coming week looks to be more of the same, as we tip over from winter to spring.

Continuing on with General Rules for Balls:

"Ladies leaving a ball or party should not allow gentlemen to see them to their carriages, unless overcoats and hats are on for departure."

Perhaps this was to make sure that no hanky-panky took place in a carriage, unless both parties were suitably clad against the cool night air?  I must confess it has me a little puzzled.

Enjoy your days!